Standard Arabic Left-dislocation without Movement: Evidence for the Presence of a Hanging Topic Left-dislocation Construction

Naima Lyassi

Abstract

This paper investigates left-dislocation constructions in Standard Arabic (SA), most notably those that have been considered so far as SA CLLD constructions (cf. Aoun & Benmamoun 1998). On the basis of an arsenal of movement diagnostic and cross-linguistic comparison with cross-linguistic findings, I demonstrate that the categorization that Aoun & Benmamoun (1998) advance with respect to SA left-dislocation is inadequate. Accordingly, I raise the issue of whether SA CLLD, are in fact hanging topic left dislocation (HTLD). I therefore compare SA CLLD with their HTLD counterparts. It turns out that SA and English pattern together with respect to HTLD; According to my findings, I provide a new classification of left-dislocation constructions which takes into account SA facts.

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